Wire-reel for fastening-inserting machines.



W. H. BORDEN.

WIRE REEL FOR FASTENING INSERTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FLED APR. 6, I918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

TED sr WILLIAM H. BORDEIN, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

WIRE-REEL FOR FASTENING-INSERTING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1L8, 1919.

I Application filed April 6, 1918. Serial No. 227,113.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. BORDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winchester, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Wire-Reels for Fastening-Inserting Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures. This invention relates to wire reels for fastening inserting machines of the type which form fastenings from wire and insert them into work such, for example, as shoe stock and pertains particularly to reels of the type constructed to deliver the wire from the interior of a coil of wire.

Considerable difiiculty has been experienced in supplying wire to the machines employed for inserting fastenings in shoe stock. In the early stages of the development of the art, the wire from which the fastenings were formed was supplied to the machines on reel which delivered the wire from the outside of a coil of wire. The

elasticity 0r springiness of the wire caused the rings of the coil to expand outwardly upon the withdrawal of adjacent rings with the result that the length of wire being withdrawn from the reel often became entangled with expanded and displaced rings of the wire thus retarding the delivery of the wire from the reel, and because of the changing resistance opposed to the Withdrawal of the wire from the reel, the tension under which the wire was fed to the fastening inserting machine varied greatly, whereas it is necessary to the eflicient operation of such machines that the wire be delivered thereto under uniform tension to the end that the wire feeding mechanism will feed the wire an equal mount upon each operation of said mechanism so that the fastenings formed from the wire will be all of the desired length. The difliculties encountered in the use'of reels as previously constructed were to a large extent obviated by the reel construction shown in the patent to Casgrain No. 765,650, granted July 19, 1904, which is now in use on fastening inserting machines of many types. In the operation of the reel disclosed in the above patent, the wire is delivered from the interior of a coil of wire, and the springiness of the wire disclosed in Patent No. 765,650 may be' i made still more eiiicient in operation and may be adapted to operate effectively on wire of widely varying characteristics.

n carrying out the objects of the invention, I have provided improved means for guiding the wire in its withdrawal from the coil, said means being mounted for movement toward and from the axis of rotation of the reel and controlled in its movements by the wire as it is withdrawn from the reel. Preferably and as shown, said guiding means is organized to brake the reel upon release of the pull on the wire and to present a braking surface of a width substantially equal to the width of the inner surface of the coil and arranged to engage the inner surface of the coil adjacent to the point of withdrawal of the wire from the coil.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a Wire reel in which the invention is embodied,

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the reel shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the member which guides the wire as it is withdrawn from the reel and also operates to brake the reel upon release of the pull on the wire.

The wire'reel 2 is carried by a bracket 4 which may be secured to the'frame of a fastening inserting or other machine by any suitable means (not shown). In the end of the bracket 4 is seated a stud shaft 6 upon The mechanism thus far described forms in itself no part of the present invention and may be embodied in various forms without departing from the principles of the invention. 2

To the end of making the operation of the reel more eficient and in order to adapt the reel for use with wire of varying characteristics, I provide improved-means for guiding the wire as it is withdrawn from the reel. As shown, the wire guiding means comprises a member 16 formed with a downturned boss 18 which is rotatably received in an opening in the member 20 which projects from the bracket 4 adjacent to the opening 22 of the bracket in which the stud shaft 6 is seated. The wire guiding member 16 is preferably and as shown extended to a point adjacent to the inner surface of the coil for the purpose of increasing that component of the force exerted in withdrawing the wire from the reel which tends to rotate the reel. This causes the wire to be withdrawn from the reel at a point adj acent to the entrance to the wire guide 16 and thus tends to prevent the formation of sharp turns in the wire which are objectionable inasmuch as the fastenings formed from the wire by the fastening inserting machine must be straight else they cannot be properly driven into the work.

The wire guiding member 16 is laterally ofiset at 24 and said offset portion has a.

surface 26 arranged to engage the interior surface of the coil of wire in the reel thereby to check or brake the rotation of the reel. Although it is preferred that the braking surface 26 of the wire guide be arranged to engage the surface of the coil, it will be understood that the invention in certain of its aspects contemplates that the braking surface may be arranged for engagemcntwith a part of the reel itself.

When a pull is exerted on the wire in the feeding of the wire from the reel to the fastening inserting machine, the increase of the tension of the wire causes the wire guiding member 16 to be turned on its pivot 18 in a direction away from the inner surface of the coil. Such movement of the wire guiding member lessens the angle at which the wire enters the passage of the guide, thus preventing formation of sharp bends in the wire and withdraws the breaking surface 26 from the inner surface of the coil, thereby permitting the coil to rotate freely so long as a pull is exerted on the wire to withdraw the same from the coil. When, however, the pull on the wire is relieved, the spring of the wire, which, as before stated, tends to press each ring of the coil against the inner surface of the coil, will cause the wire in the passage of the wire guiding means to exert pressure on the.

Wire guiding means in a direction to move the braking surface 26 of the wire guiding member 16 into braking engagement with the inner surface of the coil.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the wire guiding and braking member 16 operates automatically to prevent overrunning of the wire reel while at the same time permitting free feeding of the wire therefrom.

Preferably and as shown, the braking surface 26 of the wire guiding member 16 is of a width substantially equal to the width of the inner surface of the coil and said braking surface is arranged adjacent to the point of withdrawal of the wire from the. coil. When pull is exerted on the wire in the feeding of the wire from the reel, the force of the pull tends to draw the .wire away from the inner surface of the coil, wherefore the initial efi'ect of the pull is to move the wire slightly at the point where the length of wire between the guiding member 16 and the inner surface of the coil of wire engages the adjacent rings of the wire. During this operation, by reason of'the inertia' of the guiding member 16, the braking surface 26 is maintained in position against the adjacent rings of the wire and tends to prevent them from being loosened or displaced by the withdrawal of the wire. The pull on the wire being continued, the increased tension of the wire moves the braking surface 26 of the wire guiding member 16 away from the inner surface of the coil and maintains the wire guiding and braking member 16 free from the surface of thecoil until the pull on the wire is again relieved. Due to the inertia of the parts, the rings of the coil are most likely to be displaced on the coil upon the initial exertion 105 of the pull on the wire to withdraw it from the coil. From the foregoing, it will therefore be seen that the braking surface 26 positively maintains the rings of the wire from displacement at the time when they would otherwise be most likely to be displaced.

Means are preferably provided for limiting the movement of the wire guiding and breaking member 16. As shown, said means 115 comprises a lug 28 extended from the boss 18 of the member 16 and a set screw 30 carried adjustably by a projection 32 extended from the bracket 4 and interposed into the path of movement of the lug 28. Theset 120 screw 30 prevents the wire guiding member 16 from moving outwardly far enough to be struck by the arms 10 in the rotation of the reel.

iIn operating on certain kinds of wire, it 125 is desirable that means be provided tosupplement the springiness or elasticity of the wire in applying the braking surface 26 to the inner surface of the coil. In such cases,

means are preferably provided for urging rection of the surface of the coil. As shown,

. Fig. 3, such means comprises a spring \34: connected at one end to the pin 36 on the projection 20 and at its other end to a pin 38 carried by a split sleeve mounted on the end of the stud 18. maybe rotatably moved on the stud 18 to adjust the tension of the spring in accordance with the characteristics of the wire being operated upon, and said sleeve is secured in adjusted position on thestud 18 by the bolt 42.

Having fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the class described, a

wire reel constructed and arranged to deliver wire from theinterior of a coil of wire in response to a pull on the wire, in GOIIlblnation with means for guiding the wire as it is withdrawn from the reel constructed and arranged to brake the reel upon release of the pull on the wire.

2. In a device of the class described, a

.wire reel constructed and arranged to destructed and arranged to be moved by the wire into position to brake the reel when the pull on the wire is released and to be moved by the wire out of braking engage ment with the reel whenpull is exerted on the wjreto withdraw the same from the reel.

39in a device of the class described, a wire reel constructed and arranged 'to deliver the wi-re from the interior of a coil of wire in combination with braking means movable into and out of contact with the interior surface of the coil of wire.

4. In a device of the class described, a wire reel constructed and arranged to deliver the wire from the interior of a coil of wire in response to a pull on the wire in combination with means for braking the wire reel controlled by the pull on the wire.

5. In a device of the class described, a wire reelconstructed and arranged .to de liver the wire from the interior of a coil of wire, in combination with means for rotatably supporting the reel and means for guiding the wire mounted for movement toward and from the axis of rotation of the reel and controlled in its movements by the wire as it is withdrawn from the coil through said guiding means.

6. In a device of the class described, a wire reel constructed and arranged to deliver wire from the interior of a coil of wire in response to a pull on the wire, in combination with means for rotatably supporting the reel and means for guiding the wire as it is withdrawn from the reel, said guidin means be The split sleeve 40- ing fulcrumed for movement toward and from the axis of rotation of the reel and constructed and arranged to brake the reel upon release of the pull on the wire.

7. In a device of the class described, a wire reel constructed and arranged to deliver wire from the interior of a coil of wire in response to a pull on the wire in combination with means for rotatably supporting the reel, means for guiding the wire, and means for fulcruming said guiding means at a point adjacent to the axis of rotation of the reel, said guiding means being constructed and arranged to brake the reel upon release of the pull on the wire.

8. In a device of the class described, a wire reel constructed andarranged to deliver wire from the interior of a coil of wire, in combination with means forguiding the wiremounted interiorly of the coil of wire for movement toward and from the inner surface of the coil of wire and means for limiting the movement of said wire guiding means.

9. In a device of the class described, a wire reel formed on" one side and on its periphery with spaced arms and on its opposite side with an annulus connected to said arms, means for rotatably supportingsaid reel, said reel being constructed and arranged to deliver wire from the interior of a coil of wire through the central opening in said annulus, means for guiding the wire as it is withdrawn from the reel, means for fulcruming the wire guiding means for movement toward and from the inner surface of the coil of wire, and means for limiting the outward movement of said wire guiding means to prevent said guiding means from movement into the path of movement of said arms.

10. Ina device of the class described, a wire reel constructed and arranged to deliver wire from the interior of a coil of wire, in combination with means for guiding the wire mounted for -movement toward and from the inner surface of the coil-of wire,

and means for urging said wire guiding means yieldingly in the direction of the inner surface of the coil.

'11. In a device of the class described, a wire reel constructed and arranged to de liver wire from the interior of a coil of wire, in combination with means for guiding the wire mounted for movement toward and from the inner surface of the coil of wire,

means: for urging said wire guiding means yieldinglv in the direction of the inner surface of the coil, and means for regulating the force exerted by said last-mentioned means in accordance with.the character of the wire being operated upon.

12. In a device of the class described, a wire reel constructed and arranged to deliver the wire from the interior of a coil of wire, in combination with means for braking said reel controlled by the wire as it is withdrawn from the reel, said means having a braking surface of a width substantially equal to the Width of the inner surface of the coil of Wire andconstructecl to engage the inner surface of th coil at a point adjacent to the point of Withdrawal of the wire from the coil so as to maintain the rings of the wire against the body of: 10 the coil upon initiation of the \vitlnh-mvu] of an adjacent ring of the Wire.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM H. BURDEN. 

